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Asian Improv Nation: A 30th Anniversary Showcase

Performances

This year marks the
30th anniversary of Asian Improv aRts, a nonprofit that produces, presents and
documents artistic works that represent the Asian American experience. To
celebrate, founder Francis Wong is teaming up with longtime collaborator Tatsu
Aoki, founder and artistic director of Asian Improv aRts Midwest, to present
Asian Improv Nation, a special ensemble made up of leading Chicago and San
Francisco artists with special guests from Los Angeles and Tokyo. Featured from
Chicago will be bassist Aoki, taiko
(Japanese drum) performer Kioto Aoki and woodwind specialists Mwata Bowden and
Edward Wilkerson, Jr. From San Francisco will be saxophonists Wong, hammered
dulcimer virtuoso Yangqin Zhao, taiko drummer Melody Takata and trapset drummer
Deszon X. Claiborne. From LA will be tuba performer William Roper. Shamisen (three-string
lute) grandmaster Chizuru Kineya will travel from Tokyo for this special event.
Through this performance, Aoki and Wong will make audible their shared decades-long
exploration at the nexus of traditional Japanese and Chinese music and
improvised music.

Lead Sponsor

Lead funding for the Asian Art Museum’s CulturalCelebrations is generously provided by Kaiser Permanente. Major funding is provided by Bank of America Foundation.